


Morrible's Apprentice

by 18lzytwner



Series: Wicked First Series [3]
Category: Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-16
Updated: 2009-09-16
Packaged: 2019-06-30 10:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 18,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15749409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/18lzytwner/pseuds/18lzytwner
Summary: Part two of Sacrifice. Someone uses powerful magic which makes our friends return to the capital city only to discover the horrible truth about what went on at Southstair. Fiyeraba and Blinda.





	1. Chapter 1

Elphaba would have paced about to help her think if she hadn’t been in a moving carriage.  Everyone agreed that they must return to the capital but not without picking up her spell books.  She was quite well versed in them but the Grimmerie would have been better.  Sadly that was still missing and there was no way they were heading back into Oz to get it.

“We’re almost to the Village.  We’ll grab your books, some supplies, and then we’ll be back on the road,” Fiyero smiled and tried to reassure her by putting his free hand on her left knee.  She smiled slightly and said,

“What about Liir?  He certainly shouldn’t come with us and yet…”

“You don’t want to leave him behind,” Fiyero finished her sentence.  Usually she hated when he did that but as of late he’d been right on the money and there was no way to argue.

“There’s a good chance whoever sent that tornado went after Glinda and if they should hear we left our son unprotected there is no way to get back and reach him in time,” there was a tinge of fear in her voice; something that didn’t occur often.

“Is there a protection spell you could cast?”  He wondered as the carriage came to a halt.

“We don’t know what we’re dealing with and I’m not sure if it will be strong enough,” doubt worked its way into her voice now and Fiyero could tell she was unsure of what to do.  Normally, she’d have already made up her mind and be half done with whatever it was.  He wondered if her maternal instinct was overriding her strong personality.  They exited the carriage and thanked Bert for his services.  He remained with the carriage until they returned with his payment.

Boq and Besim followed them into their home.  While Elphaba dug for her spell books and Fiyero paid Bert, the two friends entertained Liir and found some food for them to eat.

“I don’t know about you but my ass is killing me and my horse could use a break,” Boq told them once they were all gathered at the table.

“I’ll remind you to not speak that way in front of Liir and we aren’t using horses to return to the city.  There is a faster way,” she pointed a green finger at him.

“Faster?”  Besim raised an eyebrow.

“Of course,” Elphaba went into a closet and returned with two brooms, a mop, and a rake.  She began enchanting them and the ex-Tin Man turned to his friends.

“She isn’t serious is she?”  Boq looked at Fiyero, hoping he’d receive a comforting answer.

“Oh she’s serious,” his friend replied. 

“Sweet mother of Oz!  I’m not getting on one of those things!”  Boq put his foot down.

“Fine.  We’ll save Glinda and you can tell her you were chicken,” Besim smirked, knowing what kind of response he’d get.

“Fat chance!”  Boq grabbed the floating rake Elphaba handed him.

          “All right gentlemen, pardon the phrase but you’re about to get a crash course in flying.  Everybody outside,” she smiled.  They did as they were told.  By now however a crowd had gathered around the house.  The Animals were eager to see what was going on upon the return of their heroes.

          “Elphaba!”  Mrs. Dillamond arrived at her side and the two hugged.

          “What’s going on?”  The goat asked.

          “Flying lessons, albeit they’re quick ones.  We must head back to the capital.  Glinda could be in trouble,” the green one explained.

          “You’re taking the baby?  He can’t be more than a week old,” Mrs. Dillamond feared it would be too much for the little one.

          “We have no choice.  I can’t endanger the village should our enemy find out he’s here,” Elphaba told her.  The goat nodded.

          “But how will you fly with him?”  She wondered.

          “With this,” the witch smiled and showed off her quick thinking.  All it was was a sheet wrapped tightly around her midsection with the baby inside of it. 

          “He won’t fall out will he?”  Her friend worried.

          “No.  I’ll have one hand on him too,” Elphaba smiled and then turned to the boys.

          “Watch me and do as I do,” she straddled the broom and leaned the nose of the stick end toward the ground, which brought the back end up.  This lowered the broom as if to go into a dive.  Then she forced the end up and the piece of cleaning equipment brought her off the ground.

          “See how easy that is?”  She asked to find her students up in the air.

          “Nice.  So how do we go forward?”  Besim asked.

          “Like this,” Elphaba picked her feet up and leaned forward slightly.  They watched as it moved slowly forward.  Once they tried it, she smiled and said,

          “Let’s go,” she picked her feet up and leaned as close to the broom handle as she could without hurting Liir and picked the stick end up.  She rose fast and headed in the direction of the capital.  The men followed but they didn’t quite get the hang of it for the first few miles.  After a few mid-air mishaps, the group was able to get underway.  Hopefully they would reach the castle by nightfall and no one would see their approach.


	2. Chapter 2

Night had in fact fallen by the time the friends arrived at the castle.  Elphaba instructed the men to land in the garden until she had circled the building and found Glinda.  Landing had been tricky and unfortunately for Boq, he’d landed in a bush, a rose bush to be more specific.  The poor man did everything he could to prevent his mouth from letting out the screams that had welled up inside his throat as Besim and Fiyero helped him untangle himself.

          Meanwhile, Elphaba had found the room she was looking for and silently landed her broom on the balcony.  The doors that led into the room weren’t open but the lights inside had given away the occupants.  She tried the handle to find them unlocked.  _Old habits die hard_ , she chuckled to herself.

          “Honestly I…” Glinda didn’t get the rest of the words out as she realized that someone had entered the room.  King İzmir stood up from his seated position next to the Good Witch upon her sentence not finishing.

          “Sorry to drop in like this but…” Elphaba didn’t finish the sentence before Glinda was out of bed and almost tackling her to the floor.

          “Wow Lin.  It’s nice to see you too,” the green skinned woman held her friend with one arm and Liir with the other.

          “Elphie, the most awful thing happened while you were gone,” Glinda pulled back and got a look at her friend.  She was tired and her skin was a lighter shade of green than usual.

          “Are you feeling ok?”  She asked.

          “Tired but I’ll be fine.  We came as quickly as we could.  Fiyero, Besim, and Boq are awaiting my signal down in the garden.  Can we let them in?  The weather is about to turn for the worse and I wouldn’t want them caught out in it,” Elphaba explained.

          “Yes, of course.  Let them come.  No doubt you had a strange encounter of your own you wanted to discuss,” King İzmir said, a look of worry had crossed his face.

          “Indeed we did,” Elphaba gave him a nod before returning to the balcony and gave a low whistle.  A few minutes passed and the three arrived on the upper veranda and upon seeing Boq, Glinda grew nervous.

          “Oh no what happened to you?”  She asked.  The poor man was covered in cuts and scrapes and his clothes looked a little worse for wear.

          “I landed my flying rake into a rose bush.  It’s very dark down there and I…” he didn’t finish his sentence as the King began to chuckle. 

          “Reginald!”  Glinda called him by his first name, which made the laughter stop.

          “I’m sorry but I can’t help but see the look on Mr. Tumnin’s face when he gets out to look at the roses!”  Apparently it was funny to both Glinda and the King as she began laughing as well.  The four friends looked at each other, wondering what the joke was.

          “He’s the gardener who has a very short temper and it’s funny,” Glinda explained when the laughter calmed down.

          “Ah.  Well now that we’re done laughing at me and my misfortune, I believe we need to discuss the events of yesterday,” Boq tried to regain what little respect he had left.

          “Yes of course.  Something very odd is going on and I have a bad feeling about it.  I’m so glad you arrived when you did.  Although what happened that made you fly back here?”  Glinda wanted to know.

          “Someone tried to kill us with a tornado,” Fiyero said bluntly.

          “There’s only one person I could think of with that kind of weather capabilities and she’s been turned into a rabbit,” Elphaba pointed out.

          “Yes well add shape-shifting to the list.  Someone disguised as me tried to choke Glinda,” İzmir explained.

          “Let me see,” the ‘Wicked’ Witch said.  Glinda pulled the pink scarf from around her neck.  It was unusual for her friend to wear a scarf but she’d had other things on her mind.  Her friend revealed the bruising that showed up on her neck and Elphaba realized how close she’d been to death.

          “The servants think that she has a sore throat and we’re trying to keep it that way so they don’t ask too many questions,” İzmir told them.

          “Good cover,” Boq could feel his own throat tighten.  He should have been there to protect her.

          “A little healing spell should rid you of those bruises,” Elphaba gave a slight smile and quickly cast the spell.  The bruises were gone and Glinda smiled.

          “I think we all should get some sleep.  Tomorrow once we’ve all had some rest and a bit of breakfast, we can make a battle plan.  I have a very important council meeting in the morning,” the King said.

          “Yes, an excellent idea.  I’ll show them to the guest rooms down the hall,” Glinda smiled and showed her friends out the door and down the hallway.  With the servants in bed for the evening, no one would notice they were there until the King told them.  Besim was given the first room, Elphaba, Fiyero, and Liir the second room, and Boq was the last room.  Glinda followed him inside and shut the door behind her.

          “Let me see those scratches,” she gave a slight smile and quickly murmured a spell similar to the one Elphaba had said earlier.  Within an instant, his tiny wounds were gone.  The next instant found the two with their lips on each other’s.

          “I’ve missed you so,” he said quietly.

          “We haven’t been apart that long,” she teased before kissing him once again.

          “Doesn’t matter.  I can’t take this,” Boq could see the look on her face.  She wanted to be with him but right now it wasn’t in the cards.

          “Sleep well,” Glinda gave him a slight smile and then ducked back out into the hallway.  In the shadows, a figure lurked.  He’d seen the event and knew that was the key to getting his revenge.


	3. Chapter 3

Elphaba had been right about the weather and not long after they fell asleep, it began to rain.  Thunder rumbled in the distance with heat lightening on and off.  An ordinary weather pattern for that time of year, so no one took notice. 

          It rained on into the morning and Fiyero woke to the sound of it beating against the window in their room.  He rolled over and found Elphaba not by his side.  Quickly he pushed the covers off of him and exited the bed.  That’s when he found her standing in front of him.  The room was dark as the candle hadn’t been lit and there was certainly no sunshine around either yet he could tell there was something wrong.  She stood there and made no move toward him. 

          “Fae, what’s wrong?”  He asked keeping his voice low.  She didn’t respond and he reached for her only to have his hands find warm sticky liquid.  Quickly, he went to the window to examine his hands.  What he saw horrified him.  Blood soaked his hands and he sought the candle.

          Upon finding it, he struck a match and lit the small wax illuminator.  What he found was more horrifying than the blood.  Elphaba held Liir in her arms and they were both covered in the red liquid that covered his hands.  The baby wasn’t moving and Elphaba kept shaking her head. 

          “Fae what happened?”  He demanded.  His answer was a sad look that crossed her face.  Then her gaze moved to the floor and there was a blood-covered dagger.  Then he looked back to her and a look of horror covered her face.  Somehow, Fiyero wasn’t sure how, the knife was now in his hands and he lunged at Elphaba.

          “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”  A scream came from his lips, as he couldn’t stop himself from bringing the weapon down into her chest.  She made no sound as blood gushed from her wound and she slumped to the ground.  In an instant she was dead.

          “Fiyero!  Fiyero!”  Her voice pulled him back and he looked around to see where it was coming from.

          “Fiyero!  Wake up!”  It was then his eyes snapped open.  There she was, his Elphaba, lying in bed next to him.  He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight.

          “Are you all right?”  She asked him as he pulled back from their embrace.  Concern had crossed her face especially after his right hand went for her chest.  He felt the skin in between her breasts and noted there was no scar.

          “Fiyero, you’re scaring me.  What is going on?”  She grabbed his hand and looked at him.

          “Horrible nightmare,” he managed to get out.

          “That had to do with my chest?”  Elphaba raised an eyebrow.

          “Is Liir all right?”  He asked, completely ignoring her question.

          “Yes.  I finally managed to get him back to sleep.  Somehow you managed to sleep completely through his wailing.  I’m pretty sure he woke the rest of the castle up,” she was really concerned now and tried to get him to focus.

          “What was your nightmare about?” 

          “Horrible things.  Liir was… and then I…” he trailed off again, not wanting to go into further detail.  Elphaba could see that he wasn’t able to out words to his dream and she pulled him close.  He calmed down in her arms and he looked up at her.

          “You’re looking at me with that look again.  Like you’ve seen a ghost,” Concern again crossed her face and he pressed his lips to hers.  Soon both of them had their hands roaming all over each other’s bodies.  Fiyero more so in an attempt to confirm that his horrible dream wasn’t true.  Parting, Elphaba breathed heavily and said,

          “We really shouldn’t do this with Liir in the same room.”  Fiyero gave a smile and held onto her tightly. 

          “Get some sleep.  Everyone will be up soon,” she gave a slight smile and settled herself into his arms.  Soon she was sleeping and he was wishing he could too.

          A knock on their door a few hours later, caused them to get out of bed.  Elphaba went to the baby and he headed for the door.

          “Good morning!”  Glinda was cheery as ever despite the rain outside and the recent events.

          “Morning Lin,” Fiyero let her in.

          “How’s our little fella doing?  He has quite the set of lungs on him,” the Good Witch smiled as she moved to Elphaba and Liir.

          “Yes he does but everything is ok.  I think the weather bothered him,” she smiled back at her friend.

          “Well good.  I tried to let you guys get some extra sleep but Boq and Besim are getting antsy.  Reginald will meet us in about twenty minutes in his private office.  Can you be ready in that amount of time?”  Glinda wondered.

          “Yes, of course,” Fiyero told her.

          “Great.  The private office is down the hall, third door on the left from the suit coat of armor,” the blonde smiled again and then left them to get dressed.


	4. Chapter 4

They all stood inside the King’s private office waiting for him to arrive.  Elphaba and Fiyero managed to get themselves presentable in record time and they both decided that letting Liir sleep was the best thing for him despite the horrible feeling in the pit of Fiyero’s stomach.

          “Sorry I’m late,” King İzmir said as he entered the room and quickly took a seat behind his desk.  Everyone else gathered around in the chairs that had been setup.

          “Ok so where do we start?”  Besim asked.

          “We are dealing with someone who is very powerful.  It’s quite possible that Morrible had trained someone while in Southstair.  Glinda kept tight reigns on the prisoners but knowing that witch she would have found a way to either escape or teach someone.  There also is always the option of transference,” Elphaba explained.

          “I magically sealed her cell so she couldn’t do any of those things which was why it was so easy to keep her in the prison but she still could have tried to befriend a guard or the person in the cell next to her,” Glinda saw where her friend was going. 

          “Yes but some novice couldn’t just concoct a weather spell and have it do what they want.  They’d have to have some sort of magical aptitude like Elphaba,” Fiyero said.

          “A valid point.  King İzmir do you still have all the records from Southstair?”  Elphaba wondered.

          “I do,” he replied as he stood from his seat and crossed the room to the bookshelf.  There he pulled one of the books from the wall and the entire panel slid off to one side.  Boq whistled as the feat and said,

          “Must be nice,” to this Besim chuckled,

          “Indeed it must be,”

          “There are quite a few stacks here if I could have some assistance,” Reginald politely inquired.

          “No problem,” Elphaba chanted a small spell and the files flew themselves over to his desk.

          “Excellent.  Thank you Miss Elphaba,” he smiled and sat down behind the desk again. 

          “All these people were in Southstair?”  Boq raised an eyebrow.

          “There were more but I tossed the files of the truly innocent.  No point in keeping those,” the King explained.

          “Good point.  Now all of the innocents had been released from the prison correct?”  Fiyero wondered.

          “Yes.  Those that had committed crimes were put back in or executed depending on the crimes they had been charged with.  If we sort through them I’m sure we can eliminate those who were sent to the Unnamed God,” İzmir nodded.  So they began sifting through the stacks until they could narrow down those that were still alive, those that were possible suspects, and those that had been executed by the state.

          “Well that should do it,” İzmir said about an hour and a half later.

          “Those that were executed, their files can go back on the shelf,” Glinda smiled as she copied the spell Elphaba had used earlier and sent the files packing.

          “That still leaves a good pile of them.  I suppose we need to go through them individually,” Elphaba grimaced at the stacks that remained.

          “I have the cook send lunch to the office,” İzmir smiled and left the room.

          “How will we know who we’re looking for?  Essentially none of these who are still in the prison are the culprit,” Boq said.

          “They should all be in the prison and when İzmir contacts the guards, they’ll send him a list of everyone still in captivity.  Also of any who have died from their time in Southstair,” Elphaba explained.  This seemed a viable way of doing things and the group began to sift through the piles to see whom, if anyone, had magical capabilities.

          “Ah I see you’re hard at work.  Lunch will be brought here.  I’ve found my most capable carrier pigeon and he will carry any message we have to Southstair,” the King told them as he entered the room again.

          “I think its odd that he or she hasn’t tried anything since the other day.  What could they be waiting for?”  Besim asked.  No one seemed to have an answer to that and Boq caught Fiyero seemingly staring off into space.

          “Hey Fiyero.  You in there?”  The former Tin Man wondered.  When he got no response, he turned to Elphaba who had noticed his catatonic-like state.

          “Perhaps that is the answer to your question,” she said.  They shook him, snapped their fingers in front of his face, and yelled at him.

          “He was like this, this morning.  I had to yell directly into his ear and practically shake him to death before he…” Elphaba didn’t finish her sentence as she heard someone screaming out in the hallway.  Quickly the group left Fiyero and headed in the direction of the scream.


	5. Chapter 5

They found one of the servants frozen in the spot she stood in, staring down what had to be a fourteen hundred pound bear.  Not just any bear but a Kodiak bear, an Animal that had been extinct thanks to Morrible.  She had killed them all to show the other bears what happened when they did not fall in line.  Similar species had suffered the same fate including griffins and dragons.

          The creature roared at the group until Besim and Boq were shaking in their boots.  Elphaba stood her ground, knowing their enemy had concocted this transformation spell.  She’d learned a few while under Morrible tutelage and smirked when she remember one.  Using her given talents, she cast a similar spell on herself with one added bonus of course.  Glinda moved everyone back as her friend transformed into a rhinoceros.

          “What’s going on?”  Fiyero had just joined the group, awoken from his state by the sound of the bear.

          “Um an animal stare down, I’m guessing,” İzmir said.

          “Where is Fae?”  He asked.

          “She would be the large thing with horns,” Boq managed to get the words out.  Everyone’s attention returned to the animals when Elphaba let out a loud bellow.  Then in an instant, the bear vanished.  Quickly the rhino transformed back into the green skinned witch and she collapsed onto the marble floor.  Fiyero was the first to her and he carefully held her in his arms as they sat on the ground.

          “I forgot how much those spells take out of you,” her voice barely above a whisper.

          “Then lets hope you don’t have to do them too often,” Fiyero said before kissing her forehead.

          “Perhaps I should go check on Liir,” Glinda said nervously.  It was obvious they couldn’t leave the baby alone even though they were down the hall.

          “I’ll go with you,” Boq immediately followed after her.

          “Why don’t we get Miss Elphaba back into my office.  There is a couch in there she could lie on,” İzmir told them. 

          “That is a good idea your Majesty,” Besim helped Fiyero stand up and get Elphaba down to the office.  The King checked the servant who had been scared out of her wits and gave her the rest of the afternoon off.

          Once Elphaba was resting on the couch, Boq and Glinda entered the room with Liir and his little wooden bed. 

          “Is he ok?”  Fiyero stood from his seat next to Elphaba and quickly took his son into his arms.

          “He was wakened by the little display we had out in the hallway but he’s strangely calm,” Glinda raised an eyebrow, as her voice was full of worry.

          “That’s because he’s Elphaba’s son.  Cool, calm, and collected,” Boq smirked.

          “Yes well I hope he takes after his father a little bit,” the boy’s mother said from the couch.  This made Fiyero chuckle and he set the little boy into the wooden bed. 

          “Elphie, that spell took a lot out of you didn’t it?”  More worry on Glinda’s part.

          “Well if I hadn’t given birth such a short time ago, it probably wouldn’t have reduced me to having to lie on the couch.  Especially with the very small amount of sleep I’ve been getting.  Our enemy will be weary but not out.  I expect he or she was testing us.  No doubt, they wanted to see if the Wicked Witch was all she was cracked up to be,” Elphaba wasn’t sure if that helped her friend but she hoped it did. 

          “Test us?”  İzmir wondered.

          “No doubt to see which ones he should try to get rid of first,” she replied matter-of-factly.

          “Then we’d better get cracking on these files,” Besim said as he took a seat to flip through the folders that had been stacked up.


	6. Chapter 6

They had narrowed down the suspect pool to three people.  The King sent his fastest carrier pigeon and now they waited for a response.  It had been almost six hours since the last encounter and by now Elphaba was back to almost her cheerful self, well as cheerful as she could get.  She could tell her friends were on edge.  They had spent most of their lives on edge but only she seemed calm about it.  She rationalized that because of everything they had been through, she was simply used to it.  As the Wicked Witch she’d been hated, feared, and misunderstood almost since birth.  A change of pace would have been nice but no such luck.

          Fiyero caught her far off gaze and placed his hand on hers.  She smiled as if to reassure him but he didn’t quite feel at ease.  The last time they faced a powerful witch, he’d ended up as a scarecrow.  Elphaba had saved him but she wouldn’t have had to if Morrible and the Wizard hadn’t been so corrupt.

          “Dinner is ready in the dining room.  I suggest we adjourn.  We have to wait for a reply anyway,” İzmir said.

          “Food sounds good,” Boq smiled.

          “It always sounds good to you,” Glinda teased.  They all shared a laugh at Boq’s expense and then headed out of the room.  Fiyero held Liir in his arms as they walked, hoping to give Elphaba a rest.  She didn’t look well and she refused to admit it.  He hoped dinner would help.  Suddenly the image he’d seen last night in bed flashed in front of his eyes.  It was as if it was playing out right before him.  Somehow he was back in their bedroom but now the picture changed.  He was the one holding the baby and Elphaba was coming after him and the body of their child.

          “Fae!  He’s in my head!”  He shouted but the picture did not change.

          “Nooooooooooooo!”  He cried as she plunged the knife into his chest.  He could feel death coming.  It was the same feeling he had before being turned into a scarecrow.  Then the world slipped from his grasp.

          “Yero!”  The real world was calling as Elphaba rushed to her collapsed boyfriend.  Liir was quickly handed to Glinda to see if he was all right before she tried to revive Fiyero.

          “He’s barely breathing,” she murmured.

          “I’ll get the doctor,” the King promised to be right back. 

          “What’s going on?  What did he mean ‘He’s in my head’?”  Besim asked.

          “Our mystery attacker is using nightmare spells.  The more complicated they get the more real it is for the person trapped inside them.  Fiyero must be stuck in one,” Glinda explained.

          “How do we get him out?”  Boq wanted to know.

          “We can’t,” Elphaba told them.

          “What are you talking about? He woke up this morning,” Besim reminded them.

          “He woke up because what happened in the nightmare didn’t affect him physically.  If the spell is cast to do bodily harm then the victim remains in a comatose state until the spell is reversed,” Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.

          “Let’s get him into your room,” Boq said.  Carefully he and Besim lifted him up and carried him to the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

Elphaba refused to leave Fiyero’s side on the off chance he woke up.  Glinda was very worried for her friends and what worried her more was their enemy.  She could not defeat whoever it was on her own.  She needed Elphaba.  Her friend was more powerful and it was quite evident that their foe feared her more.

          “I’m going to get some dinner.  Besim and I will bring back some food for everyone.  We need to keep our strength up,” Boq smiled slightly, sensing Glinda’s nervousness.

          “Excellent idea,” she smiled back but not one of her typical Glinda smiles, more of a heavy heart kind of smile.  Once the boys had gone, she turned to her friend.

          “Elphie, I hate to sound mean but we must stay focused.  The only way to help Fiyero is to defeat our enemy.  The doctor could do nothing for him,”

          “You’re right of course but I need Fiyero.  I lost him once to magic, I can’t lose him again,” the green-skinned woman heaved a sigh.  Of all the times she had needed to be strong, this was one of the most important not just for her and Fiyero but for the baby too.

          “I just wish we had the Grimmerie.  It would have some sort of spell we could use to catch whoever is toying with us,” Glinda shook her head.

          “It’s in Oz at the Emerald Palace.  Despite İzmir’s best intentions, Oz is still very dangerous for you and me,” Elphaba reminded her.

          “Yes it is but we have the cover of darkness and magic on our side.  We could fly to the Palace and retrieve the book from its hiding place,” her friend said.

          “Now I know you’ve lost your marbles.  We don’t even know if the book remains where you hid it,” Elphaba couldn’t believe what Glinda was saying.

          “The scene has remained the same since Cihangir’s death and İzmir’s guards now watch over the Palace.  We slip in; we slip out.  No one will notice.  You get your broom,” there was no changing her mind.

          “We must tell the guys first.  I’ll not leave Fiyero and Liir unattended,” the Wicked Witch said.

          “Of course,” Glinda smiled, this time it was one of her regular smiles.

          “You’re doing what?”  Boq looked at them after they explained the plan.

          “We’re getting the Grimmerie.  End of story,” Glinda told him.

          “Then you’d better get moving,” Besim smiled.  Elphaba grabbed her broom.  The two left Boq and Besim with Fiyero and Liir and headed for the nearest balcony.

          “Up, up, and away, Elphie,” Glinda’s bubbly behavior made Elphaba flinch slightly.  It reminded her of Shiz and that brought back bad memories considering their current situation.  Shaking her head, she straddled the broomstick and Glinda hopped on the back.  Then off into the night, they flew.

          “So they think this will work?”  İzmir wondered once the guys had explained to him where the girls had gone.

          “Apparently,” Besim nodded.

          “I haven’t seen Glinda that excited in a long time,” Boq still wasn’t on board but he hadn’t had much say in the matter.

          “The Unnamed God be with them,” İzmir said.

          “Sir, pardon the intrusion,” a guard stood at the door.

          “Come in Lieutenant Mirron.  No intrusion,” the King smiled.

          “The carrier pigeon is back.  Here is the message it carried,” the Lieutenant handed İzmir the piece of paper.

          “Thank you,” the King unrolled it and took a look at what had been written.

          “Will I be sending a message back?”  Mirron wondered.

          “Yes, send my thanks and tell them to standby for further instruction,” İzmir told him.

          “Yes sir,” with that the Lieutenant was gone. 

          “What does the note say?”  Boq and Besim asked at the same time.


	8. Chapter 8

“Seems we have a problem,” the King said.

          “What kind of problem?”  Besim asked.

          “Well all of our suspects are still in their cells minus one, a Mister Iffix, who died about three weeks ago,” İzmir told them.

          “So now what do we do?”  Boq wondered.

          “What is the procedure when someone dies at Southstair?” Besim wanted to know.

          “If they die between dawn and dusk, they are shipped to the crematorium when the sun goes down.  However if they die after dusk, they are stored until the next morning.  It makes sense since we wouldn’t want to be sending only one body at a time.  Conserves on the horses and the wagon,” the King replied.

          “Uh huh and how much do you want to bet that our clever little warlock figured that out,” Besim said.

          “Good point.  I’m sure there are no guards down there since the prisoners are supposed to be dead,” Boq nodded in agreement.

          “I shall have to have that policy reviewed,” İzmir made a mental note.

          “Where is Iffix’s file?”  The former Gale Force soldier asked.

          “I’ll go get it,” the King offered and he quickly left the small bedroom.  He was back after a moment or so with the file and handed it to Besim.

          “Oh look he was in the cell next to Morrible and was convicted of using magic on someone against their will.  Seems he turned the local magistrate into a chicken and was caught before he cooked the chicken for dinner,” he read aloud.  Boq made a face when he heard his friend say that.

          “Does that make him a cannibal?”  The King asked.

          “I’m not sure but I certainly don’t want to find myself in a similar situation.  I hope the girls get back soon,” Boq said.

          “You and me both,” Besim shook his head.  He was worried for Glinda’s and Elphaba’s safety.  He also worried that Iffix might find now the best time to strike.

          “How much further?”  Glinda asked.

          “A couple of minutes.  We’re riding a little high so as to avoid detection and unfortunately the clouds keep blocking my view,” Her friend replied.  Glinda only nodded.  Flying in her bubble was easy; she wasn’t sure how Elphaba had gotten used to riding a broom.

          “Hang on tight!”  The green one announced as she went into a steep drop.  Glinda grabbed hold of her friend’s waist and held on.  Before she knew it their feet were touching something solid.

          “You can let go now Lin,” Elphaba said.

          “Oh sorry,” Glinda let go and dismounted the broom onto the balcony below.

          “Now let’s move stealthily and quickly,” her friend told her.  Elphaba had a lot of practice using only the moon as a guide but Glinda did not.  As they worked their way to Glinda’s old room, the green one had to keep a close eye on her friend and the floor, which was covered in dust and debris from the explosion.  A couple of times Glinda tripped and she had to clamp her hand over her mouth to make sure no one heard her scream.  Finally they reached their destination and Glinda went immediately to the bed.

          “You hid it in your bed?”  Elphaba whispered as loudly as she dared.

          “No silly,” Glinda smirked and carefully tapped the headboard.  Confused, Elphaba watched in amazement as part of the headboard opened to reveal a secret panel in the wall.  Once the panel was opened, Glinda pulled the Grimmerie from the hidey-hole and stuffed it into her bag.  Quickly she closed up the wall opening and the headboard.  Just then Elphaba grabbed her and pulled her under the bed.

          “What the…” the Good Witch didn’t finish as once again she found her friend’s hand over her mouth.

          “Hey did you hear something?”  Voices out in the corridor.

          “No,” came the reply.

          “I must be hearing stuff.  Come on let’s finish the sweep of this floor and head down for dinner,” the other told his friend.  The two women waited for the footsteps to disappear down the hallway before climbing out from under the bed.  They were covered in dust and cobwebs, which grossed Glinda out.  It didn’t faze Elphaba as she headed for the door.  Checking the hallway and finding it empty, the two took off back the way they came.  Within fifteen minutes they were back in the sky heading for İzmir’s palace.


	9. Chapter 9

“I’m confused,” Boq said suddenly as the three men sat with Liir.  The baby had been quiet which they found strange, especially since they all knew he had a set of lungs that had proved to be very capable of making a loud racket.

          “What about?”  Besim asked.

          “Well Glinda once said that men don’t tend to be magically inclined.  It’s very rare that they can do more than levitate small objects or make those small objects explode.  So how come our attacker is so talented?”  The former Tin Man wondered.

          “Morrible was very powerful.  Maybe she concocted a spell to enhance his magical abilities,” the King suggested.

          “Maybe but even someone with very little magical aptitude can repeat a spell until they get it right,” Besim pointed out.

          “I don’t know.  I would think weather spells would be very tricky.  Never once has Elphaba tried it,” Boq said.  Besim nodded.  His friend had a point.

          “Perhaps the girls can better answer your question when they get back,” İzmir told them.

          “I hope they get back soon.  I’m nerv…” he didn’t finish as guard burst into the room.  He had gashes on his upper torso that looked like claw marks.  He was breathing heavily and bleeding profusely.  Quickly the King grabbed a spare bed sheet from the closet and the three men tried to help stop the bleeding.

          “What happened?”  İzmir wanted to know.

          “There was this…” the guard stopped and winced in pain as Besim pressed harder onto his wounds.  They were deep and if they didn’t get a doctor fast, the man would die.

          “ROOOOAAAARRR!”

          “Sounds like our bear friend is back,” İzmir shook his head.

          “Yes it does.  This man needs a doctor quickly,” Besim told them.

          “I’ll create a distraction.  You get him out of here,” the King said.

          “What kind of distraction?”  Boq asked.  That’s when İzmir pulled his sword from its scabbard.

          “Your Highness, no offense but you’re nuts,” Boq said.

          “None taken.  Come on,” İzmir told him.  Carefully Boq and Besim picked up the wounded man by the shoulders and feet.  The King opened the door and moved out into the hallway.  Sure enough the Kodiak was back.

          “ROOOOOAAAARRR!”  It wasn’t happy.

          “Make a dash down toward the study.  Have the other servants call the doctor.  I’ll catch up,” İzmir told them.  Both men wanted to object but he was the only one with a weapon so they did as they were told.

          “Come and get me ugly!”  İzmir shouted.  Neither Boq nor Besim looked back as they moved as quickly as they could.

          Elphaba and Glinda landed on the balcony they had left from.  Quickly they entered the palace and were confronted by a sight out in the hallway.  İzmir lay on the floor motionless, a pool of blood surrounding him.  The two raced to the downed King and Glinda checked for a pulse.  It was thready and he was breathing with some difficulty.

          “Help me Elphie!”  She practically screamed even though her friend was right beside her.  Despite being in love with Boq she had reserved a little bit of her heart for İzmir.  He was a kind man who loved his people and his country.  Elphaba cursed under her breath as the two of them worked to try to heal the King.  Their spells were powerful but there was no telling how long he’d been lying like that.

          “Where are Boq and Besim?” Glinda asked as they worked furiously.

          “Right here!”  The two shouted as they approached the two.  They were covered in blood.  Elphaba only shook her head as the last of the King’s wounds sealed up.

          “What happened?”  She asked.


	10. Chapter 10

They carefully moved the King into the study and laid him down on the sofa.  He hadn’t regained consciousness but then again there was no way to tell how much blood he’d lost.  Once inside Boq and Besim explained what had happened.  Elphaba shook her head.  She didn’t like this one bit and should İzmir not make it there would be a lot of explaining to do.  It could be a repeat of Oz all over again.  Pushing that thought to the back of her mind, she focused on the task at hand.  Grabbing the Grimmerie, she quickly flipped through it looking for the spell that would lead them to Iffix. 

Besim quickly fetched Liir and brought him to the study.  The poor baby had managed to be left alone for most of the night and he knew that Elphaba wouldn’t be happy about it.  He could do nothing for Fiyero but leave him there.

“Any luck?”  Boq asked after about ten minutes of the Witch flipping through the pages.

“Yes.  I just have to be careful when I cast this spell.  It could backfire,” she told him.

“Backfire?”  Besim wondered.  That didn’t sound good.

“Yes.  It could give away our location as well if he is able to figure out what I’m doing.  I’ll need absolute silence.  Now Lin do you have a crystal ball?”  Elphaba wanted to know.

          “No.  But you can use the mirror,” Glinda pointed to one on the wall but she did not move from her place next to İzmir.

          “That’ll work,” her friend smiled and began chanting the magical words she needed.  A picture appeared but she didn’t recognize where it was.

          “Lin a little help,” Elphaba whispered.  Glinda looked up and immediately recognized what portion of the castle it was.  She gave Elphaba the kill signal and quickly the spell was ended to avoid a back trace. 

          “Where was he?” she asked.

          “In the wine cellar.  It is a very clever place to hide as no one goes down there often,” Glinda frowned.

          “All right.  You and I are going after Iffix.  Boq and Besim you stay here.  We don’t need any more casualties,” Elphaba told them.  Glinda nodded and pulled her wand from beneath the folds of her sleeve.  Her friends could tell she was upset and now was not the time to get in her way.  Quickly the two made their way out into the hall and headed for the nearest staircase.

          “So they think they can come after me.  Well they are sorely mistaken.  Seems I need to remind them of my power,” Iffix smirked.  He had felt the spell that Elphaba had cast.  She was either not focusing on what she needed to or getting a little rusty.  No matter they would be most upset when he surprised them.

          He stood in the middle of the massive underground cavern and stretched his muscles.  Which animal should he turn into?  The bear had been fun but he knew that the Wicked Witch would use something more powerful.  While he paced and thought about it, another thought occurred to him.  Why not show them the real him?  No one had seen the real him since he was little.  His mother had made sure of it.

          Chanting a reversal spell very similar to the one that Elphaba had used on Boq and Fiyero, Iffix changed back into his normal self.  He smiled.  He’d always enjoyed the color of his skin and he was sure that Elphaba would find it most interesting as well.

          “Don’t move Iffix!”  Came a shout from behind him.  He smirked and turned around.  The flames from the torches lighting the area still shrouded him in mystery.

          “I’ve been waiting ladies.  You know Mother never really did give you enough credit Glinda.  She however warned me of you Miss Elphaba.  Perhaps she was afraid we were too much alike,” Iffix then moved into the light and Elphaba’s face went pale.

          “You’re green!”  She shouted.


	11. Chapter 11

“Ah so you did notice,” Iffix couldn’t hide his sarcasm.

          “How is that possible?  What spell did you cast?”  Elphaba demanded.

          “Oh I didn’t cast a spell.  I was born this way.  You see we have a lot in common, you and I.  Besides skin color we also share the same father,” the warlock said.

          “That can’t be!  My father was…” Elphaba started but didn’t get the chance to finish.

          “You’re father was the Wizard!  Come now, Glinda didn’t tell you the story?”  All eyes now focused on Glinda who stood there frozen. 

          “I’ll take that as a no.  You see Father always was a charismatic man.  He could get people to do just about anything, especially if they’d had one too many like your mother.  My Mother on the other hand, well I think she was in love with him.  Or perhaps he was a means to an end.  You see I’m the rightful heir to Oz’s throne.  The only one who could challenge me is you dear sister,” Iffix smiled an evil smile. 

          “I am not your sister!”  Elphaba screamed at him.  Her anger flared and once again like all that time ago at Shiz, the room froze.  However, Iffix did not freeze with it.  He stood there smirking.

          “I am immune to your powers.  Seems poor Glinda is not.  Mother always knew you were special.  She made sure that I could be special too,” he moved closer to her.  He expected her to try to stop him but she didn’t.  She stood there.  Perhaps out of confusion or perhaps for trying to think of a way to be rid of him.  Either way, he would win.  He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close to him.  Close enough that she could smell his breath.

          “Will you challenge me or will you stand with me sister?  You have the opportunity of a lifetime for making everyone who ever shunned you pay.  Will you take it?  Will you rule with me?”  Iffix wanted to know.

          “You are the son of my most hated enemy, Morrible, and you want me to join you?”  She asked.  Her facial expression didn’t change.  She was angry and he could use that.

          “We are blood related.  You can’t deny what we have.  All that time I sat with Mother in Southstair, she told me how powerful you were, how smart, how talented.  She never mentioned how beautiful you were.  No one ever called you that,” he said.

          “That’s not true.  Fiyero thinks I’m beautiful and his opinion is all I care about.  Free him this instant!”  Elphaba shouted.  Iffix let go of her and rubbed his ear with his index finger.  He reached for a dagger that he had hidden inside his waistband.

          “I’ll free him if you promise to rule with me over Oz and the rest of this puny planet.  İzmir’s death will be a tragedy.  Everyone will look to Glinda and it’ll be sad when they find out their new Queen is dead.  They will look to someone who will pull them out of this train wreck and you’ll be there to pick up the pieces.  The council can be your pawns.  You could rule this place.  Make it safe for Animals and humans alike.  You could make more babies with your precious Fiyero.  It would be like heaven on earth,” he pulled her close again and this time she could feel the metal of the blade pressing against her stomach.  He would kill anyone who stood in his way and she knew that.  However, she didn’t see what choice she had.  Killing him could kill Fiyero but trapping him wasn’t an option unless she could magically concoct a spell to make his powers useless.  If she didn’t obey, he’d kill her right here and then move onto her friends and her beloved Fiyero and son.

          “It is a lot to think about my sister.  I understand that.  Why don’t you let poor Glinda go before her face freezes that way,” her brother suggested.  Within an instant, Glinda was awake and looking around.  What had gone on while she was out of it?

          “You swear to me that you’ll let Fiyero go if I join you?”  Elphaba asked.  Glinda couldn’t believe her ears.

          “I will release him but beware sister.  Should you try to double cross me, I’ll think nothing of killing your beloved Fiyero and Liir,” Iffix warned her.

          “Then I will do it,” she said.


	12. Chapter 12

“Excellent.  Now then why don’t you dispatch Glinda for me?  She lied to you all this time after all,” Iffix smirked and handed the dagger to Elphaba.  She looked at him and then to the blade in her hand.  Glinda tried to run but it was no use as Iffix used his magic to grab her by the throat and throw her to the ground.  
          “Kill her sister we don’t have much time before your two idiot companions come looking for you,” the warlock pressed as Glinda coughed, desperate for air.  He’d practically crushed her windpipe.  Elphaba knelt down next to her friend.  There was this dead look in her eyes.  No spark remained and Glinda wondered if Iffix was controlling her friend.  
          “Poor Boq.  When he finds out your dead dear Glinda, he’ll do something stupid and get himself killed.  I know the type; I’ve seen it before.  As for Besim, well he’ll probably end up that way too his loyalty knows no bounds.  Goodbye dear Glinda.  Say hello to İzmir for me,” she could still see the smirk on his face and the look in Elphaba’s eyes as the dagger’s blade pierced her heart.  
  They left her body in the wine cellar and headed up to the study.  The halls were silent and the sound of their shoes was barely more than a whisper.  Elphaba entered the room first and Boq confronted her.  
          “Where is Glinda?  Whose blood is that?”  
“Hers.  She’s dead,” the look on her face didn’t convey any emotion.  She looked like a zombie.  
“Yes well the King died a few moments ago.  I couldn’t do anything for him,” Besim stood from his position next to İzmir.

          “Didn’t I tell you sister?  The King is dead,” Iffix walked into the room and both men took a step back. 

          “Who is this?  Why does he call you sister?”  Boq asked his grief was turning to rage.  Things only got worse when Fiyero entered the room.

          “Fae, what’s going on?”  She turned to face him.  She was covered in blood, just like his nightmare.  _Thankfully Liir isn’t in her arms_ , he thought.

          “Oh Yero,” she finally had a spark in her eye and practically collapsed into his arms.  Now Boq’s rage consumed him and he charged at the two.

          “Ah you see.  I wasn’t wrong,” Iffix once again cast the spell he’d used on Glinda and lifted him high into the air.  The ex-Tin Man could feel this throat closing and he fought against it.

          “Please don’t kill him!”  Elphaba shouted as Fiyero helped her to her feet. 

          “As you wish sister but I’m not sure why you’d want to keep him.  He will never love you like Fiyero or I do,” Iffix turned to her, shrugged, and let Boq fall to the ground.

          “There are other things he can be used for,” she told him.

          “Mother never said you were kinky but to each their own.  And would you like Besim too?”  He asked.

          “One can never have too many,” she winked at Iffix.  

          “Very well,” he smiled and began to chant a spell.

          “There is no need for that brother.  I’m woman enough to handle them on my own,” this made him smirk.

          “Your feminine wiles know no bounds.  Everyone will want to be with you once you are crowned Queen,” Iffix smirked and then chanted a spell, which handcuffed both Besim and Boq to a pair of chairs near the table in the middle of the room.

          “I wouldn’t want them running off on you.  Now why don’t you and Fiyero join me in the main council room?  They’ll want to hear the bad news,” he picked up Liir from his bed and they walked out of the room and down the hall.

          “What the hell is going on?”  Besim asked.

          “I have no idea but when I get my hands on them I’ll wring both their green necks!”  Boq croaked out.


	13. Chapter 13

The Council sat there, their mouths hanging open.  Iffix had expected that reaction and he smirked.

          “You will do as I say.  You see that blood?”  He asked them.  They only nodded.

          “Your King and Queen are dead.  You will take me as your King and you will make Elphaba Queen of Oz.  You will do as I say or you’ll find yourselves joining İzmir,” he said.  Once again they all nodded before Councilman Akki spoke up.

          “We will do as you say,”

          “Excellent.  In the morning you will send word that in the afternoon there will be a kingdom wide announcement.  Meanwhile you will remain here at the palace.  No one is to know what has happened until tomorrow,” the instructions given, Iffix guided his sister and Fiyero out of the room before locking it behind them.

          “Once they have outlived their usefulness we shall dispatch them.  No one will question my authority when I accuse them of treason,” there was a smirk on his face and at this point Fiyero could take no more.

          “Are you insane?  They are innocent people with families.  What purpose does it serve to kill them?”

          “He isn’t that bright is he sister?  You have odd choices in men,” Iffix completely ignored him.  Fiyero looked to Elphaba.  She stood there a strange look on her face.  There was anger mixed in with defeat.  Her brother seemed to notice and they stopped walking.

          “Sister, I…”

          “Stop,” she interrupted him.  He looked at her shocked, like he couldn’t believe what she just said.

          “I…”

          “You do not speak to or about Fiyero in such a manner.  He is a wonderful man and the father of my child.  I have already killed my best friend and I’m in no mood to take your crap,” both men stared at her.  Fiyero felt slightly better about her standing up to him but he was still worried that Liir was in his arms.  Iffix recovered a little more quickly.

          “You will listen sister or your little one will never see his first birthday,” as if to emphasize his point Iffix grabbed Liir’s tiny little arm and gave it a squeeze.  Being as small as he was it would only take a flick of her brother’s wrist to easily break the boy’s arm.

          “Stop!”  Elphaba screamed tears began to roll down her face.  She was at her breaking point and Iffix knew it.  Fiyero lunged at the warlock to grab his son.  Iffix let go of the boy and used his hands to grab the lunging father by the throat.  Elphaba caught her son, who was screaming.

          “You think you can take me?  You are amusing; I’ll give you that.  You’ll do well to remember that I can put you back in that spell-induced hell at the snap of my fingers.  I can end your pathetic life and your son’s and leave my dear sister to mourn you for the rest of her life.  Things will go back to the way they were.  I’ll tell them she made me do it.  Everyone will hate her.  She’ll be arrested for killing Glinda.  They’ll do all sorts of unimaginable things to her before burning her at the stake.  This I can promise you,” the warlock just smirked as the color of Fiyero’s face turned purple from the lack of oxygen.  Elphaba’s crying broke over Liir’s crying.  The poor boy was very upset and his already had bruises.  Iffix let Fiyero fall to the ground and the ex-Prince coughed for air.  He conjured a spell and the next thing the three knew they were in the study with Boq and Besim.  Fiyero crawled over to the ones he loves and pulled them close.

          “You bastard!”  He screamed.  Both men, who were still handcuffed to the chair, now took stock of the situation.  Boq’s anger subsided slightly when he saw the scene before him.  Elphaba mumbled something and Liir stopped crying.  She held him close and kissed his forehead.

          “Tell us what happened,” Boq said.


	14. Chapter 14

“So that’s the whole story,” Besim looked at Elphaba who still clutched onto Liir as if he would suddenly disappear.  Of course he could since they had no idea if Iffix had been listening.

          “Yes,” was all she said.  Once again she was zoning out and everyone in the room was worried for her mental state.  She’d been forced to kill her best friend, found out the Wizard was her father and that she had a half-brother, and then on top of that the bastard had tried to hurt her son and Fiyero.  The ex-Prince had his left arm around her shoulders as if to hold her together.

          “Can you get us out of these?”  Boq asked.

          “I’m sorry,” Elphaba shook her head and quickly chanted a spell to release them. 

          “I think I can feel my shoulders again,” Besim had a small smile on his face as he rotated his arms about.

          “Let’s get out of here,” Boq was in no mood.  It was understandable.  He’d finally been able to tell the woman he loved everything and not only had she been taken from him and married to another now she was dead.  Walking to the door of the study, he touched the doorknobs and received a shock. 

          “The knobs are wired or something,” he said as he could feel a tingling sensation going through his fingertips and up his arms.

          “They’re magically sealed.  We aren’t getting out that way,” Elphaba told them.

          “Can’t you use your magic to get through them?”  Fiyero asked.

          “Iffix will have cursed them.  If I try to open them the spell could bounce back and I would end up like…” the sentence died in her throat.  They all knew what she meant.

          “What about the window?”  Besim wondered.

          “It’s a long fall but you’re welcome to try,” Elphaba said.

          “So there’s no way out?”  Fiyero couldn’t believe it.  Iffix was smart but he wasn’t smarter than his Elphaba.

          “Are you going to do something or are you just going to sit there?!”  Boq’s anger had returned and he wasn’t controlling it well.  Fiyero left Elphaba’s side and grabbed him by the collar.

          “You aren’t the only one suffering here.  I suggest you figure that out before I’m forced to do something I’ll regret little man,” the Vinkan was obviously in no mood either.

          “Gentlemen.  We are friends let us worry about squabbling later.  Right now we have to stop Iffix from making that speech.  So let us find a way out of here,” Besim’s reasoning brought the two men out of it and they returned to the group.  

          “So what do you suggest?”  Boq questioned testily.

          “The one thing Iffix probably didn’t think of or know was there,” Elphaba had a smile on her face.  She stood and headed for the bookcase.  Grabbing the book that İzmir had grabbed a day or so ago, she pulled it out.  The wall opened and revealed the space they had all seen before.

          “There is a passageway that leads downward.  Shall we?”  She asked.  They all looked at her and then at each other before quickly following her down the dark tunnel. 

          “But the bookcase is still open.  He’ll know where we went,” Besim said.  Elphaba just shook her head and used a spell to close it.

          “Ah.  Well done.”  He smiled as they carefully made their way down into the bowels of the castle.


	15. Chapter 15

Dawn was fast approaching and the group would have to hurry if they wanted to show that Iffix was in the process of doing a hostile takeover.  Elphaba led the group through the twists and turns of the underground passageway until they reached the end.  The end unfortunately put them smack dab in the middle of the King’s Rose Garden.

          “Clever escape route,” Fiyero remarked.

          “Indeed.  While the enemy attacks the castle, you escape under the cover of these rather thorny flowers,” Besim nodded as he removed a thorn from his arm.

          “So how do we get Iffix?”  Boq changed the subject.

          “ ** _We_** don’t do anything.  **_I_** will handle him,” Elphaba’s world famous determination was back.

          “Pardon?” Fiyero gave her a look as he protected Liir from the thorns.

          “I’m the only one with the power to hurt him.  He will let me get close to him and I will do what is necessary,” she explained.

          “Yes well we’ve seen how much you stand up to him and we don’t believe you,” Boq glared.

          “Speak for yourself.  Miss Elphaba is right.  She is the only one with magical powers here so unless you can suddenly change yourself into a warlock, I suggest you listen,” Besim gave him a look not too many had seen from the good-natured man, a look that would have scared Morrible herself.

          “I now see why you were part of the Gale Force,” Fiyero smirked.

          “So what do you propose we do?”  Boq asked his anger wasn’t subsiding this time.

          “Get as far away from here as you can.  The longer you stay away from someone magical the better.  Iffix must have cast a spell to follow magical people.  It’s the only explanation as how he got to all of you with his spells.  Fiyero’s location was only discovered by tracking me.  Once we separate, you will be out from under his powers,” the witch told them.

          “As much as I hate to leave you I will do as you say,” Fiyero grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

          “Do it for Liir.  He needs to have one parent in his life and he couldn’t have gotten a better one than you,” Elphaba leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before disappearing back into the tunnel.

          “Godspeed Miss Elphaba,” Boq smiled as he pushed Fiyero, Liir, and Boq out towards the end of the garden.

          Once back inside the building, Elphaba didn’t climb back up to the study.  There was no way out up there.  Iffix would look for her there but if she had been right about the locating spell, he knew very well she wasn’t in the study anymore.  She instead took the second passageway that was hidden off to the left of the tunnel.  Pulling open a small hatch, she climbed inside and used her magic to light the way.  Glinda had told her about the tunnel before and she knew exactly where it led.

          Crawling was making her filthy but it would be worth it to cover her bloodstained clothes.  With any luck, her clothes wouldn’t matter only what she had to say.  Although somewhere in the back of her mind, she doubted it.  The end of the tunnel neared and she quickly doused the magical ball of light she’d been using.  She had no way to know what was on the other side of the secret door but she had to try.  Pushing the door open, she realized something was wrong right away.  The door swung open too easily for a door that had hardly ever been used.  Falling onto the floor the next thing she heard was,

          “Take that!”  A familiar voice came and suddenly Elphaba threw her hands up as a large piece of wood came colliding with her midsection.  She cried out and immediately the person who struck her was on their knees next to her.

          “Oh Elphie, I’m so sorry,”

          “It’s only fair, I stabbed you,” the green-skinned woman managed to cough out as she sat up.

          “I wasn’t sure…” her friend was cut off.

          “I’m just glad the spell worked,” Elphaba wrapped her arms around her friend.

          “It’s good to have you back Glinda.”


	16. Chapter 16

Throngs of people stood underneath the main balcony and they were shocked when Iffix walked up to the podium.  Whispers went through the crowd.  Where was the King?  Who was this man?  What was going on?

          “Silence good people.  I know you have many questions and it is my hope that I can answer them in this time of transition,” Iffix spoke loudly and clearly for all to hear.

          “Where is the King?”  A shout came up from someone in the crowd.

          “In good time, please let me continue,” Iffix raised his hands and the crowd quieted.  He opened his mouth to say something as the noise level dimmed but he didn’t get any further.

          “That’ll be enough from you,” Elphaba smirked as she lifted him off the floor by the nape of the neck.

          “What… are… you… doing?”  He managed to get out as she squeezed tighter.

          “Stopping you.  You do remember my good friend Glinda?  You know the Queen,” Elphaba still had the smirk on her face.

          “Queen Glinda!  Where is the King?!”  Cries went up from the crowd.

          “This man killed him!  For that he must pay!”  She told the truth and gasps went up from the people below. 

          “String him up!”  Someone hollered.

          “What a novel idea,” Elphaba said.

          “You… would… kill… me… sister?  Despite… everything?”  He asked.

          “Despite what?”  She questioned releasing her grip slightly but not enough where he could escape.

          “If he means your skin color, I’m afraid that ship has sailed,” Glinda smirked this time before turning to the crowd.

          “Should we give him a trial or just…” she let the sentence hang there.  Her question was met with a resounding

          “String him up!”

          “Wow Lin, you haven’t been in charge that long but they like you,” Elphaba smiled and tightened her grip on Iffix.  His words were lost before he could even form them.

          “I know right?  It feels good,” there was only a slight smile on her face.  Something bothered her and her best friend could tell.  Using a move that Glinda had never seen before, Elphaba let go of Iffix and he crumpled to the ground.

          “That was too easy,” she said.  Her tone was one Glinda hadn’t heard before.

          “He seemed to give up too easily,” her friend nodded.

          “That move should have knocked him unconscious.  Instead…” Elphaba grabbed Iffix’s shoulder and his head rolled around like it was on a swivel.

          “It killed him,” she finished.

          “That means he’s still out there,” Glinda did not like where this was heading.

          “Guards!  I want this entire palace searched.  Round everyone you find up and bring them to the council chamber.  Make sure no one gets away,” the Queen ordered.

          “Yes Queen Glinda,” quickly the two ran off.  Then she turned to the crowd.

          “He has escaped!  Everyone hold your ground!”  No one moved.

          “Ever tried a location spell on a huge crowd of people?”  Glinda asked.

          “We’re about to see how it works,” Elphaba told her.  She spoke the words aloud for all to hear and waited for something to happen.  Nothing did.

          “He isn’t here.  Let’s go to the council chamber,” the green skinned witch said.

          “What about this body?”  Glinda wanted to know.  Elphaba chanted a spell and what looked like a body powered into dust.

          “A carbon copy.  Damn, is he good,” the normally perky blond shook her head.

          “Don’t remind me,” Elphaba heaved a sigh.


	17. Chapter 17

The search of the council chamber yielded nothing.  All the people who had been rounded up wanted to know what was going on and why the Wicked Witch was helping their beloved Queen.

          “Everything will be explained in due time but right now the man who murdered the King is on the loose.  We mustn’t let him get away,” Glinda implored them.  Councilman Akki stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

          “Are you all right?”  He asked.  He knew of Iffix and what had supposedly been done but the details were still foggy.

          “I’ll be better once we catch this bastard,” she told him.  Akki was surprised to hear her swear but under the circumstances, he understood.

          “Good people you must believe our Queen.  I myself have seen this man she speaks of.  His skin is the color of Miss Elphaba’s but he has none of her altruistic qualities.  He wants power and domination and will stop at nothing to get it,” the Councilman spoke up.

          “Then what must we do?”  One of the guards asked.

          “I need a crystal ball and the Grimmerie,” Elphaba said.

          “I’ll run to the magic shop,” another guard offered and he ran out through the main council chamber doors.

          “I’ll get the Grimmerie,” Glinda smiled and took off toward the study.  This left the rest of the group standing there.  Some glared at the green woman and others smiled.

          “You may not like what you believe I have done but this is for your King and the safety of all the people in this world.  Iffix will stop at nothing.  I have seen that look upon his face before in someone I once trusted.  I’ll not let him finish what his mother started,” she told them.

          “How can we trust you?”  One man asked.

          “How do we know that you didn’t kill the King?”  Another wanted to know.

          “I would never kill anyone unless I had no choice.  Your King was a wonderful man and he loved my friend Glinda very much.  He saw past my skin color and accepted me for who I am.  I don’t expect you to trust me only to listen to me,” normally Elphaba’s blood would be near the boiling point but she had long ago decided to ignore the harsh words and mistrust.  It did no one any good anyway.

          “Shut up you two or I’ll be forced to beat you,” she recognized the voice.  It was Alim.  He’d seen more of her than she had wanted but he was a good man and she knew he would stand by them.

          “I’ve got the book!”  Glinda rushed into the room and placed it in the middle of them, so one could take one page and the other could take the next page.  Quickly they began flipping through it, looking for a useful spell.

          “Can’t we use a location spell?  He has to be using his magic to hide his appearance,” the White Witch said.

          “Yes but the last time he back traced it and was ready for us.  I’m hoping there is a spell we can use to locate him before he knows we’re onto him,” Elphaba explained.

          “Ah, good point,” Glinda nodded.

          “I’ve got one!”  The guard ran into the room and handed the crystal ball to Elphaba.  She nodded in thanks and quickly returned to flipping through the book with Glinda.

          “I’ve found a spell that will locate him without letting on but if I’m reading it correctly it only gives you a general spot.  No exact details,” her friend said.

          “That won’t really help because if he’s near anyone else with magical tendencies, I could be getting mixed signals,” Elphaba shook her head.

          “Not good,” Glinda shook her head as well.  Another twenty minutes of searching and Elphaba cried out,

          “I have it!”  Quickly she chanted the spell and everyone in the room leaned forward to see what the crystal ball revealed.

          “He’s in the Animal Village,” Glinda swallowed hard.

          “We sent the boys into a trap!  Come on!”  Elphaba grabbed the Grimmerie, and the crystal ball, before rushing out of the room to find her broom.


	18. Chapter 18

Once again Glinda found herself clinging onto Elphaba as they flew through the sky.  Needless to say the broom was faster than her bubble but she had her doubts about the safety of it.  If the poor broom had been running on a motor, it surely would have overheated; due to the way Elphaba was pushing it to go faster.

          “How do you know where the boys will be?”  Glinda asked in the loudest voice possible.

          “I’m not finding them.  We’re heading straight to the village.  With any luck we should dispatch Iffix before the boys even reach there,” Elphaba explained.  Glinda only nodded.  It was a logical way of handling things.  She only hoped that by the time they reached there, Iffix hadn’t done something to the villagers.

          Before she knew it, they landed in the middle of the Town Square.  Their presence immediately drew attention from everyone.  News had trickled through the country and everyone seemed to know that Glinda was Queen now.

          “Everyone please listen!”  She shouted above the constant chatter.  Silence quickly followed her request and she continued,

          “There is a traitor in our midst!  He killed King İzmir!  We must find him!”

          “What does he look like?!”  Someone shouted.

          “He has great shape shifting abilities.  He could be anyone,” Elphaba spoke up.

          “No need for panic.  I’m right here,” Iffix smirked in his bear form and quickly changed back to his normal self.  Cries went up as they all noted his green skin.

          “I see you found my carbon copy.  So it means you have turned against me sister.  And imagine my surprise to see Glinda still alive,” he shook his head.  Glinda looked to her friend and saw her fists clenching.  The anger was building and she knew better than to make Elphaba angry.

          “I should have killed you when I had the chance,” the Wicked Witch said through her teeth.

          “And kill the only family you have left?”  He asked and he pulled back his sleeves.

          “I have a family and it does not include you,” she spat.  She raised her hands and began chanting.  Her body transformed into that of a griffin.  Having been declared extinct, thanks to Madame Morrible, most in the crowd had never seen one and it terrified them.  Sharp claws led into large feet, which became powerful legs.  The torso had enormous wings that could fly as hard and as fast as any of the larger predatory birds.  The head however had the most dangerous weapon a griffin could posses and that was the large, sharp beak.  This beak could snap spines in half or gut an enemy in a matter of seconds.

          “So we shall play this game of yours until one of us isn’t breathing,” Iffix smirked.  He began his own transformation.  Much like his half-sister, he chose a formidable creature, one that even a griffin would fear.

          “Dragon!”  Someone shouted as everyone began to run for cover.  Glinda stood there in shock, unsure of how to proceed.  Dragons had been extinct before she had been born.  The only knowledge of them came in books.  It was now that she hoped Elphaba knew what a dragon’s weakness was and how to exploit it.

          “Care to fight me now?”  He asked in a booming voice that almost made the ground shake.  Elphaba only narrowed her eyes before launching her first attack.  She went for his chest.  He immediately countered with a breath full of fire.  She dodged the attack and landed not far from him.

          “Give up sister.  I have the clear advantage.  There is no need for anyone to get hurt,” Iffix told her.

          “I will kill you!”  She shouted as she charged at him again.


	19. Chapter 19

Despite the fact that the attack hadn’t been well thought out, Elphaba knew exactly what she was looking for, the dragon’s biggest weakness.  Somewhere in the chest region was a large scale that would lift up and reveal the dragon’s heart.  Rip it out and your enemy was done for.  Using her new beak as the weapon of choice, she struck Iffix’s chest.  Her beak made no dents in the large tough reptilian scales but she then tried to latch her dangerous claws onto them.  Iffix knew what she was doing and immediately used his large clawed foot to slap her away.  She tumbled and fell but was able to use her wings to her advantage.  Swooping before she hit the ground,

          “Why don’t we take this battle to the sky?”  She asked him.  His response was to chase her. 

          On the ground below, Glinda was trying to think of how to help Elphaba.  Iffix had a size and flame advantage but with Elphaba’s speed and sharp talons they could be at this for days.  Then it was as if a light bulb went off in her head.

          “Animals!  Come out!  We must help Elphaba!”  She shouted.  Hopefully her friend was doing a good job of keeping Iffix busy.

          “What can we do against that dragon?”  Someone asked from the small group of brave souls that came to Glinda’s aid.  She recognized most of them as the security force for the village.  There were only fifteen of them but that would be enough.

          “We need to drain Iffix’s power.  If we are able to do that, he will be forced to change back into a human.  Once that happens, Elphaba will handle the rest,” the White Witch told them.

          “It’s murder!”  A bear said.

          “He killed the King and tried to kill Boq, Fiyero, Liir, Besim, and myself.  What do you think will happen when we are gone and there is no one left to protect you?”  She wanted to know.  Silence followed.  They all had a pretty good idea what would happen.

          “What do we do?”  Mr. Trauthill asked.

          “We need to force him to land.  He won’t change back into a human until his feet are on the ground,” Glinda explained.

          “Archers!  Retrieve your bows and arrows!”  Trauthill ordered.  Quickly, seven of the Animals ran to their headquarters and retrieved their weapons.

          “I was kind of hoping you had a catapult or something,” Glinda said.

          “We aren’t an army.  We carry spears and bows and arrows.  Although Fiyero’s rifle should be in their house,” he liked her thinking.

          “Get it.  We’ll need everything we can get,” she nodded.  The bear took off toward the house.

          “Archers!  Form ranks!”  The second in command, a lion named Tzu, took over while waiting for Mr. Trauthill to return.  Quickly the seven did as they were told and lined up according to height.

          “Fire!”  Tzu ordered.  Glinda hadn’t had time to tell them not to hit Elphaba but she noticed that she didn’t have to when every single shot hit Iffix’s scales.

          “You guys are good,” she smirked as Iffix’s attention was turned toward them, which allowed Elphaba to slam her beak and talons into her opponent’s chest again.  This time he screamed.

          “Looks like she hit a soft spot.  Fire again!”  Tzu roared.  Again the arrows shot into the air.  It was followed by a loud bang. 

          “Seems Mr. Trauthill found the rifle,” Tzu smiled as he saw the bear approaching.  The gun had not been designed for a bear to use it but obviously that didn’t stop him.  Again Glinda saw Iffix falter and again Elphaba slammed into him.

          “My turn,” she smirked as the villagers reloaded their weapons.  Using a spell that Elphaba had taught her, Glinda was able to create energy and control it with her hands.  She aimed the shot at the dragon and released a large blast.  Elphaba saw this coming and quickly moved out of the way. Iffix wasn’t as fast and caught it in the stomach.  He howled and now aimed his anger at the small group that was interfering.  He belched a long stream of fire, which quickly had everyone running for cover.  Glinda quickly fired the energy blast again.  This time the hit slammed into the dragons face.  Knocked backward, Elphaba saw her opportunity and took it.  She aimed her talons at the scale, which she’d discovered.  She sank the talons in and ripped the scale away.  Her next move was toward his heart but she never got there.  Iffix grabbed her with his giant claws and squeezed.  The last thing Elphaba remembered was being let go from a high altitude.


	20. Chapter 20

Glinda saw what was happening and immediately shot a bubble into the air.  It caught Elphaba about fifteen feet off the ground.  The bubble landed, bounced, and then rolled to a stop.  Unfortunately, no one could reach her as Iffix had begun to spew fire at the village.  Homes caught on fire and immediately there were Animals running around with buckets full of water trying to put them out.  This put many of them in jeopardy, as the dragon grew closer.

          “Mr. Trauthill are any of your men expert marksmen?”  Glinda shouted her question over the sounds of the battle.

          “Tzu can peg a moving target at three hundred yards!”  He replied.

          “That’ll do!  Give him a weapon and I’ll draw Iffix closer!”  Quickly the White Witch blasted the dragon with the energy that pulsed from her hands.  A direct hit to the abdominal region, blew Iffix back but then he swooped in lower to go after Glinda.

          “Come on!  Come on!”  She stood there as Iffix’s mighty jaws came closer.  Glancing toward the lion, she saw him holding his bow and arrow steady.  His eyes narrowed as he looked for the target to hit.  There would be only one shot at this.  If he missed, Glinda would be dragon food and the battle would be over.  Elphaba was still a sitting duck, stuck unconscious inside the bubble.  He could hear someone praying to their god.  All the noise surrounding him was making it difficult to focus.  He tuned out everything but the flap of the dragon’s wings and the beat of his heart.

          “Now!”  Glinda’s words broke through the sounds of the dragon and Tzu released the arrow.  Everyone held their breath as they waited for the dragon to collapse.  Nothing seemed to happen and their chance of hope was dashed when Iffix closed his teeth around Glinda.

          Tzu reloaded and took aim again at the beast but found that the dragon had crashed landed onto his stomach not far from where he had scooped Glinda up.

          “Get me a sword!”  Mr. Trauthill shouted as he ran toward the downed lizard.  Someone raced up to him with a sword and others joined him soon with axes. 

          “Lady Glinda could be anywhere between his mouth and his stomach.  Be careful!”  The bear commanded.  Quickly they tried to cut the hide of the dragon but the scales were proving difficult.

          “Get Miss Elphaba!  She’ll know what to do!”  A cry went up and quickly Tzu raced over to the bubble.  He used his large claws and sliced the bubble apart.  Elphaba landed hard on the ground, which woke her up.

          “Ow.”  She said, her tone barely audible.

          “Miss Elphaba!  Iffix has swallowed Glinda!”  Tzu’s words snapped her out of it and she quickly transformed back into her human self.  Both of them raced over to the dragon to find the villagers attempting to hack him apart.

          “Stop!”  She commanded.  They all turned and looked at her.  They threw down their weapons and got off the dragon.  Elphaba used a location spell to find her friend.  She could feel this large build up pf energy and she realized what was going on.

          “Hit the deck!”  She screamed.  Everyone was confused why she had said that or why she had dropped to the ground and covered her head but they did it.  Suddenly a massive explosion occurred.  Dragon parts flew everywhere coating everyone on the ground and the surrounding buildings.

          “Light meat or dark?”  Glinda asked before collapsing.


	21. Chapter 21

Fiyero, Liir, Boq, and Besim arrived at the village a day later.  They had managed to hitch a ride from a passerby who had been more than happy to drop the weary group off as it was on his way to Oz. 

          “What happened here?”  Besim asked as he helped Fiyero, with his young son, exit the wagon in the Town Square.

          “I have no idea.  What is that Unnamed God-awful stench?”  Boq replied with his own question.

          “Gentlemen!  It is good to see you!”  Mr. Trauthill ran up to greet them.

          “Mr. Trauthill!  It is good to see you.  Care to explain the scorch marks and smell?”  Fiyero wondered as he tried to avoid gagging.

          “Come.  Miss Elphaba will explain,” the bear smiled as he turned and headed toward the house owned by Elphaba and Fiyero.

          “Now how did I know your girlfriend would be in the middle of this?”  Boq teased him as they walked behind the bear.  Besim jabbed the Munchkin in the ribs with his elbow.

          “Thanks Besim.  I’m more interested in what she is doing here already.  No way Iffix was handled so quickly,” Fiyero’s concern was forgotten when Elphaba opened the door to the home with a big smile on her face.  He then found her arms around him and the baby.

          “I’m glad you’re home.”  She told him after letting go.

          “I’m glad too but Mr. Trauthill owes us an explanation or maybe you do,” Fiyero said as she ushered them into the house.

          “Well I think it’s best if we tell the story.  I have to get back to my kingdom,” Glinda smiled before jumping into Boq’s waiting arms.

          “I completely forgot about that,” Elphaba shook her head.  Once again the group would be split up with no way around it.  They all sat down at the dinner table and had some tea while the girls began to explain.

          About thirty minutes later, the story was wrapped up and the boys stared at the girls with looks of wonderment.

          “So that explains the scorching and the smell but not where Iffix’s body went,” Besim said.

          “After we piled all the parts together, Glinda used one of her bubbles to transport it to the nearest volcano,” Elphaba explained.

          “So there is no way this guy is coming back,” Boq looked pleased.

          “Yes we are safe from him.  We could not allow him to be dug up.  Once he died, he stayed in dragon form due to the nature of the spell.  Dragon horns, scales, and claws can all be used in powerful spells,” the green-skinned woman said.

          “Well I suppose we should start helping Mr. Trauthill and his crew with reconstruction.  All those damaged roofs must be replaced before the next rain storm,” Fiyero stood from his chair.

          “That and the smell needs to go.  Some of those roofs had dragon parts and blood on them.  I could see the stains,” Besim made a face.

          “Before anyone goes anywhere, there is more to discuss,” Glinda spoke up.

          “I suppose that’s true,” Boq nodded solemnly.

          “I am a Queen now.  I have responsibilities that I cannot pass to anyone else.  Reginald and I were expected to produce heirs as he was the last of his family,” Glinda paused.

          “No one is challenging your right to be Queen?”  Besim wondered.

          “How could they?  They just found out their King was murdered yesterday,” Glinda told him.

          “So what do we do?”  Fiyero asked.

          “I must go back.  If no one challenges me then I must reign over all of this country and Oz.  However Oz council delegates have already expressed their wishes as far as being their own country.  They have made it very clear that they do not want me in charge,” the White Witch explained.

          “So someone needs to take over Oz,” Elphaba said.

          “And I have just the couple in mind,” Glinda smirked.


	22. Chapter 22

“No, Lin.  We’re not doing it,” Elphaba shook her head.

          “But Elphie this will give you the opportunity to right everything Morrible did wrong.  You won’t have to worry about where your next meal is coming from or if Liir has enough diapers,” Glinda pleaded.

          “They all hate me.  I have no way to prove to them that Morrible was as bad as we know her to be.  The propaganda put out by the Wizard was very powerful.  I’ll always be the Wicked Witch.  Especially if I miraculously come back from the “dead”,” the green skinned woman said.  Fiyero had been silent through the entire conversation.  Besim had gone back to his family and Boq was playing with Liir.

          “We can say that his propaganda about your death was fake too,” Glinda told her.  Elphaba made a face.

          “My creditability is completely out the window,” she tried to get out of it but Glinda wasn’t having it.

          “Fae and I need to think about this.  You’re heading back to the capital tomorrow morning right?”  Fiyero finally spoke up.

          “Yes.  I have to go talk to Mr. Trauthill about the village repairs anyway,” the blonde nodded.  She stood and looked at Boq.

          “You coming?”  She asked.

          “Of course,” the former Tin Man gave Liir a hug and passed him to Elphaba on his way out.

          “I want one,” he said to Glinda as they exited the door.

          “One what?”  She asked him.

          “A baby,” he said, completely serious.  Glinda had this cow in front of a train look on her face.  Elphaba laughed and then made sure the door was shut before heading over to Liir’s crib to lay him down.

          “Did you have fun with Uncle Boq?”  She smiled and asked the baby.  Liir gurgled and smiled back.

          “I’ll take that as a yes,” Elphaba smiled before leaving him and collapsing on the bed.  Fiyero joined her and they lay in silence for a few moments.

          “I was groomed to rule you know,” he told her as he rolled onto his side.

          “I thought you hated that life.  I thought you wanted something different for not only you but your offspring,” she continued to stare up at the ceiling. 

          “Times have changed Fae.  We could make a real difference,” he said.

          “Boy there must have been something in that tea.  You and Glinda think we can rule Oz and Boq wants a baby,” Elphaba shook her head.

          “I am the heir to the Vinkan throne.  My son is a Prince.  You are my Queen,” he said as he took one of her hands into his and kissed the back of it.  She turned her head toward him.  Her eyes were slightly misty.  She was trying to hide her fear but it wasn’t working.  It had taken her a very long time to be open with him and even now she would only open up to him.  No one else ever saw how fragile she could really be.

          “And what if they try to kill us?  What if they try to do what they tried to do to Glinda?  I could not leave our son alone in this world.  I spent most of my life alone,” she told him.

          “I know.  Neither could I,” Fiyero pulled her into his arms.

          “So what do we do?”  She asked him.

          “First thing we do is get married,” he said before kissing her forehead.


	23. Chapter 23

The announcement that Fiyero and Elphaba wanted to be married before making any other decisions about their future didn’t come as a shock to Glinda.  In fact to Elphaba, she thought Glinda had been thinking about their marriage for a while when she started spewing ideas about how things should go.

          “Nothing huge, just us and our friends, that’s it,” Elphaba told her from her seat at the table.

          “No, no, no.  You have to do this big.  Cake, a band, hundreds of guests, and by a real priest, no some guy down at the court house,” Glinda put her hands on her hips before taking a seat of her own.

          “Why can’t these type of decisions be easier?”  The green-skinned woman shook her head.

          “Because you only get married once,” her friend told her.

          “Don’t let Boq hear you say that,” Fiyero said.

          “He and I are going to have a whole different process to go through.  I have to get the people to like him and have him get used to the fact that I will be Queen and he will always be a Prince.  As much as I want to marry him now, it would not go over well.  Besides, I couldn’t do that to Reginald,” Glinda explained.  Both Fiyero and Elphaba looked at each other.  Glinda might not have wanted to admit it but on some level she had loved the man who had only been her husband for a very short time.

          “Well you have to go back to the capital and we want to get married here,” Elphaba gave Fiyero’s hand a squeeze.  This was the place they’d fought so hard to become a reality, it only seemed right for them to marry in the village.

          “Elphie, you’re coming back with me to get a dress.  Fiyero, come up with a ring.  In the morning, we’ll leave for the capital,” with that the conversation ended and Elphaba heaved a sigh.

          “I’m off to find Mr. Liliter,” he smiled at the mention of the name of the jeweler.  They didn’t have amazing facilities to make a ring but the Vinkan had a pretty good idea what he wanted.  They separated and Elphaba went to check on her son.  He was sleeping soundly and she was glad for it.  The thought of telling him that they hadn’t been married before he was born was a little but of a sticking point for her.  At the time she and Fiyero were taking every day as it came and they had to spend as much time together as they could should they be discovered and the subsequently arrested.  The future had depended on the following sunrise not two or three years down the road.  Her father had frowned on such behavior and perhaps that’s what made it so much more acceptable.  She had never been good enough for him despite what Nessa said.  A knock on the door brought her from her thoughts and she quickly answered it.

          “Come in,” she smiled at Sri, Besim’s wife, who held a package wrapped in brown paper in her hands.

          “I heard about your wedding and I had to stop by,” the woman smiled.  She was older than Elphaba but about the same height with red hair that had slowly begun to dim from bright red.

          “News travels fast,” Elphaba shook her head.

          “Yes it does but then again Glinda was first to our door,” Sri laughed which made Elphaba laugh.

          “Yes, she was more excited than I was I think.  She’s busy telling me all about the dress and the ceremony and all Fiyero and I wanted was something small,” the green skinned woman explained.

          “Well as I’ve been told you were never one to be all gushy.  Besides, everyone celebrates in their own way,” Sri nodded knowingly.  Elphaba only nodded back.

          “Anyway, the entire reason I came over here was because I wanted you to have this,” Sri handed the package over to her friend and Elphaba looked at her in confusion.

          “If anything I should be giving you a present for letting us borrow your husband so often,” she said.

          “He is a soldier, I expect him to be away,” Sri smiled as Elphaba began to open the package.  The brown paper found its way to the floor and Elphaba’s eyes grew large at what she held in her hands.

          “This is your…” she didn’t finish as she let the dress’s bottom fall to the floor.

          “I have no daughters to pass this onto.  You are free to use it if you like.  I was a seamstress for many years and can make any adjustments you need,” the older woman smiled as Elphaba held it up against her.  She marveled at the halter-top dress that had a lace pattern down the sides that eventually formed the train.  It was simple and yet beautiful.

          “I couldn’t…”

          “No, I insist.  If you like it then you must wear it,” she insisted. 

          “It’s wonderful.  How can I ever thank you?”  The ‘Wicked’ Witch asked.

          “Just try it on,” Sri said.  Eagerly, Elphaba took off her shoes and then moved into the bedroom.

          By the time Fiyero came back, he had no idea what had transpired or the surprise that waited both he and Glinda in the morning.


	24. Chapter 24

“Come on babe,” Fiyero shook Elphaba’s shoulder.  He had rolled onto his side in their bed.  Facing her, he hated to wake her but she was supposed to leave with Glinda soon.

          “What did I tell you about calling me ‘babe’?”  She mumbled without opening her eyes.

          “You know I only do it because I love you Fae,” he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

          “I’m very tired.  Liir is actually sleeping, can’t we just…” the sentence trailed off as he pulled her into his arms.

          “I know but when you’re Queen, you can sleep as long as you want to,” he smirked as her eyes opened. 

          “I thought that was all talk.  You aren’t serious,” she shook her head.

          “Well you are a politician’s daughter.  So I think Queen is right.  Although it could be Princess,” Fiyero said in all seriousness.

          “No, I thought we weren’t going to do this.  There are too many things that could go wrong,” she shook her head.

          “But there is so much that can go right,” he looked at her, his eyes conveying what she knew he believed.  She heaved a sigh and nodded.

          “You’re right of course but I have my doubts,” Elphaba told him.

          “I know.  So do I.  There are a lot of questions that need to be answered but the way to answer them is to take the first step,” Fiyero said.

          “Oz spent most of my life hating me.  How are we going to change that?  My family is all gone. You and Liir are all I have left,” her concern was evident.

          “My family is gone too but I have a legal right to take the throne.  If we follow all the legal avenues and don’t try to change things too quickly, we’ll win the people over.  Once they get to know you, they’ll love you,” he pulled her close and kissed her.  When they parted he smirked and said,

          “Now get moving.  I won’t have any self respecting wife of mine without a dress.”  This time Elphaba smirked.  Without saying anything she went into their closet.

          “What are you doing?”  He asked but before he got an answer there was a knock on the door.  Before either one of them could answer it, Besim burst into the home.

          “Come on boy!  Get some pants on!  You’re getting married!”  The ex-Gale Force soldier shouted.

          “Pants?  Married?  What the…” Fiyero didn’t have much time to think as Besim headed for his closet and pulled out everything he could find.

          “This won’t do.  We have to make a stop in the Town Square,” his friend shook his head.  Elphaba stood there laughing at the whole scene.  With Fiyero dressed, the two men were out the door.  A few minutes after they were gone, Sri entered the house pulling Glinda behind her.

          “But I don’t understand.  Elphie needs a dress and Fiyero needs a suit and the rings and…” the White Witch was cut off by her best friend standing there in the magnificent gown that Sri had given her the night before.

          “I just need some help with the buttons,” she said turning around.  Six ivory buttons kept the back of the dress together and Elphaba could not reach them but that was kind of the point.  Glinda’s eyes were the size of dining saucers.

          “You look wonderful,” her best friend murmured.

          “You can thank Sri for that.  I just need my hair done and I need to find some white shoes,” Elphaba explained.

          “Don’t worry about the shoes.  Get out your best pair of shoes,” Glinda smiled.  Her friend obeyed while Sri began setting up all the different hair accessories she’d brought.

          “Ok a little spell and poof!”  The blonde giggled before changing the black shoes white.

          “Those will go back to black later right?”  Elphaba asked.

          “Of course.  I’ll reverse the spell after the ceremony,” Glinda continued to smile.

          “Good because none of my other outfits will work with white shoes,” her friend told her as Sri pulled her into the seat at the kitchen table.

          “We have about an hour to do this and get you to the Town Square.  If you hold still I can be done in about thirty five minutes,” Besim’s wife explained.  Elphaba only nodded and the woman got working.


	25. Chapter 25

Fiyero looked at himself in the mirror and couldn’t believe it.  Originally his father had told him he’d be wearing the royal wedding outfit and now instead he was wearing Besim’s tuxedo with some minor modifications.  Mrs. Dillamond was quite skilled with a needle and thread as it turned out.  His thoughts floated to what Elphaba would look like.  He knew white was her least favorite color and it was quite obvious that white wasn’t exactly the color she should have been wearing considering they had Liir but he highly doubted anyone in the Village would care.

          “Time to go.  Everyone is waiting,” Besim smiled.  Despite the fact that the Gale Force essentially didn’t existing anymore, he was wearing his dress uniform.  Apparently his wife thought it might be a good idea to save in case they had to use it for a disguise.

          “Everyone?”  Fiyero gulped.

          “Of course.  This Village has been waiting for this forever,” his friend chuckled as he led him out of the Dillamond home toward the Town Square.

          “Who is officiating the ceremony?  Everything has to be above board on this one.  I’ll not have anyone question its validity,” he said.

          “Well technically the only person in Ozian eyes would be Glinda as she is a Queen.  However since we are in the Animal Village, Tzu’s father, King Naloo will be performing the ceremony.  He is of course the chosen heir to the Cowardly Lion.  No one has seen him in a long while and Naloo was the next in line,” Besim explained.  Fiyero nodded.  That was another mess that perhaps could have been avoided.  Who knew the lion cub they rescued would later join Dorothy over his wants from the Wizard and his hatred of the Witch who saved him?

          “Prince Fiyero, your presence is requested on Planet Earth,” King Naloo waved his paw in front of the former Scarecrow.

          “Sorry,” he shook the cobwebs out and suddenly realized where they were standing. 

          “He’s quite out of it,” Besim chuckled.

          “Well we did spring it on him,” the lion smiled.  They were interrupted by the band as they played the classic song.  Fiyero whirled around to see Elphaba being led down the aisle by Glinda.  Boq appeared at Fiyero’s side and slipped the rings into his pocket.  The Vinkan didn’t even notice as his eyes were glued to his bride to be.

          Her hair was up which wasn’t unusual but it was the way it was up.  The top was pulled up with barrettes while the bottom hung in loose curls.  If it was possible, he could have sworn her cheeks were tinged slightly red because everyone was staring at her.

          After what seemed like ages, she stood next to her husband to be and he was beaming.  King Naloo smiled as they faced him.

          “Friends we are gathered here today to honor a love that has withstood not only the test of time.  It has withstood oppressive governments, bigotry, and very powerful magic.  Here before us stand a pair of brave people who have finally managed to take the biggest plunge of their lives,” the lion’s joke was not missed on the crowd as laughter spread through the group.

          “That being said I won’t make this long.  We’ve all waited for this day and it will be a celebration to remember for years to come.  Prince Fiyero, the rings?”  He asked.  It was then that Fiyero fumbled looking for them.  More chuckles went through the crowd as he found them where Boq had placed them.  He took Elphaba’s hand and slipped the plain silver band over her finger.  She looked at it and realized they had once been nails.  The same type of nails that Fiyero had had forced through his wrists when the Gale Force had strung him up like a scarecrow.

          “Now for the easy part.  Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus do you take Elphaba Thropp of Munchkinland to be your lawfully wedded wife?”  Naloo asked.

          “I do.”

          “And Elphaba Thropp do you take Prince Fiyero to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

          “I do.”

          “Then I have the great honor and pleasure to announce you man and wife.  You may kiss the bride,” King Naloo smiled.  The crowd erupted in cheers as the two shared a long lingering passionate kiss.


	26. Epilogue

The sun’s morning rays trickled through the improperly shut window curtain on the far side of the room.  This in turn made Elphaba roll over and smack Fiyero in the chest with her arm.

          “Ow,” he said upon being semi-woken up.  Rolling over he enjoyed the dark half of the room and quickly fell back asleep.  He was awoken a few minutes later by having a feeling of falling, which was followed by the rude awakening as the floor came up to greet him.

          “Shut the curtain,” she mumbled.  Fiyero had one moment of thinking about strangling her before heading to the window to fix the offending curtain.  His next move was to sit on his new wife.  She let out a yelp and the two tussled about until they were both on the floor with her lying on top of him.

          “Fiyero Tiggular, I swear on everything…” he cut her off by kissing her.

          “Yes Mrs. Tiggular?”  He asked when they parted.  This made her smile and with one deft movement, Fiyero rolled them over until he was on top.  He leaned over and whispered something to her.

          “On the floor?”  She gave him a quizzical look.  He tilted his head a little and smiled.  She had to admit it had been awhile since they’d had any alone time and they were both behaving like hormone-crazed teenagers.  Despite the fact their teenage years weren’t that far behind them, they’d been forced into adulthood a lot sooner than most.

          Fiyero made his pouty face and she gave him a smirk.  He knew she couldn’t resist it and of course he was right.

          “All right but if I need back surgery later, I blame you,” her laughter was interrupted by his lips on hers.

          “Whatever you need Fae,” Fiyero smiled when he pulled back and made a move for the hem of her nightgown.

          Later, a knock on the door roused them from their sleep.  They had ended up staying on the floor and Fiyero quickly helped Elphaba up before tossing her her robe.

          “Hello,” he smiled as he answered the door.

          “Worse than two bunny rabbits.  I’ll be having more kids to play with in no time,” Boq smirked as he entered the home with Liir in his arms.

          “Thanks for keeping the little guy for the evening.  I take it Glinda headed off to the capital last night?”  Fiyero asked.

          “Indeed.  We are to follow her as soon as we can.  Pack your things and we’ll be off in about an hour or two.  Glinda would prefer we get there faster but…” Boq smiled as he trailed off.

          “I take you’re already ready,” Elphaba said as she came over to him and gently took her son.

          “Indeed.  Do you guys want some help?”  The former Tin Man wondered.

          “That would be fantastic.  We didn’t come here with much but now all the baby items seem to be taking over,” Fiyero told him.

          “All right.  You two get cleaned up and dressed and I’ll get some trunks to fill,” the Munchkin was off in a hurry and Elphaba laid Liir down in his bed.  Fiyero was already in the closet pulling the few clothing items they had out.

          “Doesn’t look like we’ll be packing much clothing,” he smirked.

          “Mostly spell books and baby gear,” she replied.

          “Ah such is the life of a married couple,” he teased.  They quickly got about getting dressed and collecting items to pack.  Boq was back after fifteen minutes and they were done loading all their items in relatively short order. 

          “To the carriage then?”  Fiyero asked as he grabbed one of the trunks.

          “Off we go.  Besim is giving us a ride and then returning to the Village so lets get a move on,” Boq explained.  They loaded the carriage’s luggage compartments while Elphaba got Liir all set up inside.  Once the house was empty, she stood in the doorway looking around.  All that remained was the furniture.  She heaved a sigh, so much for the simple life.  From the capital they would head into Oz, provided everything went smoothly.  She laughed to herself before closing the door.  A new adventure awaited them and they would take on everything as they always did, together.

**The End**


End file.
